Ways a pelvic physio can help during pregnancy:
Prepare the pelvic floor.
Your pelvic floor muscles support the organs inside your pelvis including the bladder, rectum, and uterus. They also support bladder and bowel function. A pelvic floor physiotherapist will be able to assess whether you would benefit from pelvic floor muscle strengthening, pelvic floor muscle relaxation, or both! It is highly beneficial to know how to perform a correct pelvic floor muscle contraction AND relaxation. Strong and functional muscles will support you through pregnancy as the fetus develops and more stress is placed on your pelvis. Simultaneously, having muscles that know how to relax will help with the delivery process! Get to know your pelvic floor during pregnancy!
Maintain strength.
Building and maintaining strength throughout pregnancy is crucial! Many people report that they stop exercising, exercise a lot less, or are afraid to start exercising during pregnancy. There are many benefits of staying active during pregnancy including improving maternal health, decreasing excess weight gain, reducing pelvic girdle pain, and optimizing mental wellbeing. A pelvic health physiotherapist will not only address the strength of your pelvic floor muscles, but also all of the other major muscle groups! Strengthening the lower body will help support the changing pelvis, addressing the core and back will help manage optimal postures, and prepping the upper body can decrease the risk of developing postpartum related conditions like carpel tunnel.
Manage aches and pain.
Many people experience discomfort throughout their pregnancy, ranging from intermittent mild aches to constant pain felt throughout the day and/or night. A pelvic physiotherapist will be able to assess and address these aches and pains to help you determine your best route of management. Treatment options may include manual mobilization, stretching, soft tissue release work, addressing posture, exercise prescription, recommending external support (example: garments, belts), and education.
Teach perineal massage.
Have you ever wondered if there is a way for you to prepare for a vaginal delivery? The answer is YES! Perineal massage is a technique that pelvic floor physiotherapists are equipped to teach parents-to-be. The perineum is the tissue between the vagina and anus, and it is often where tears occur during a vaginal delivery. Perineal massage includes a series of stretches paired with breathing to be completed during the 4 weeks leading up to the due date. The goal of this technique if not to physically stretch your tissues until they are loose and elongated, but to prepare your tissues to know how to remain relaxed when it experiences pain. Your physiotherapist will utilize your central nervous system, breath, and imagery, to teach this massage to you and/or your partner.
Support labour.
You may be wondering how a pelvic floor physio can help during pregnancy as well as during labour and delivery. As part of a routine prenatal program, our pelvic physio will go over many important topics that most people do not ever consider, but can highly improve the success of your birth story. These topics include:
How to breathe and push
How to consider different pushing positions
How to optimize labour (by focusing on different pelvic positions to help baby transition through the different stages of labour)
How to create an optimal birthing environment
How to have a partner assist with pain management during labour
How to optimize recovery in the early postpartum phase
WANT TO LEARN MORE? Make an appointment with our pelvic health physiotherapist or set up a complimentary discovery call today!
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